This invention relates to an exercise apparatus and, more particularly, to an exercise apparatus for simultaneously exercising the arms and legs.
In the last century, Americans have become much less active. Because of the introduction of the automobile and other modem conveniences, exercise and health experts now estimate that the daily physical effort exerted by adult Americans today is between 700 to 1,200 calories less than the physical effort exerted by adult Americans in 1900. With increasing rates of obesity, it is now becoming evident that this physical activity deficit is having a serious, negative impact on the health of many Americans. It is not surprising that in recent years, Americans have become increasingly aware of a need for exercise and that a large number of exercise machines have been introduced into the American market.
The patent literature discloses numerous exercise machines directed toward the simultaneous exercise of both the upper and lower body. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,225 by Lucas et al. discloses a stationary bicycle having reciprocating handles that are operatively interconnected with a pair of foot pedals and a resistance mechanism. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,934,690 and 5,054,770 teach an apparatus having reciprocating hand and foot actuated levers. Robertson in U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,119 describes a swimming simulator that uses straps that retract into rotating spring biased reels that provide resistance to reciprocating hand and foot motions. Kendrew in U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,209 teaches an apparatus for simultaneous, vertical hand and foot motions that simulates mountain climbing.
Long in U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,791 teaches a swimming motion exerciser which employs hand cranks and foot pedals. The crank handles of Long""s apparatus are mounted on either side of a single sprocket that is also operatively interconnected to a viscous resistance tank and a sprocket that carries a pair of foot pedals. Long""s resistance tank includes paddles that rotate in a tank that contains a viscous fluid. Long""s apparatus appears to provide a means to exercise both the arms and legs of an operator. However, the positioning of Long""s crank handles are such that the operator can not position any part of his or her body between the handles. This prevents an operator from achieving a full range of arm motion. Moreover, the adjustment of Long""s apparatus to accommodate different operator sizes appears to be very complex requiring a number of operations in order to maintain tension on drive chains that interconnect the crank handles and the foot pedals as the hand cranks and the foot pedals are adjusted in relation to each other.
While the foregoing exercise machines provide useful devices for exercising leg and arm muscles, there still exist a need for an exercise apparatus that provides a way to exercise the legs with a smooth rotary motion while also providing a way to exercise the arms with a smooth rotary motion of the hands over a large range of motion. Further, there exists a need for an exercise machine having spaced, arm exercising hand crank assemblies that are positioned upon a common axis of rotation so that an operator may position at least a portion of his or her upper body between the hand crank assemblies and even position a portion of his or her upper body in alignment with the common axis of rotation of the hand crank assemblies. Still further, there still exists a need for an exercise apparatus that can be easily adjusted to accommodate operators of varying stature.
The exercise apparatus of the present invention provides an easily adjustable means for exercising the arms over a large range of motion while also exercising the legs. The invention exercise machine has spaced, arm exercising hand crank assemblies that are positioned upon a common axis of rotation so that an operator may position at least a portion of his or her upper body between the hand crank assemblies and even position a portion of his or her upper body in alignment with the common axis of rotation of the hand crank assemblies. The invention exercise apparatus can be easily adjusted to accommodate operators of varying stature.
The invention apparatus includes a base, a resistance device mounted in a fixed relationship to the base, a pair of foot pedal assemblies mounted to rotate in relation to the base, a pair of upright support assemblies mounted to the base and a pair of hand crank assemblies mounted to the upright support assemblies. The resistance device includes a rotating element which turns when a torque is applied to it. The hand crank assemblies, the foot pedal assemblies and the rotating element of the resistance device are all operatively interconnected so that so that an operator can turn the rotating element of the resistance device by turning the foot pedal assemblies, by turning the hand crank assemblies or by turning both the foot pedal assemblies and the hand crank assemblies. The hand crank assemblies and the foot pedal assemblies are interconnected with each other and the rotating element of the resistance device so that the hand crank assemblies and the foot pedal assemblies turn in the same direction at the same rate. The upright support assemblies are fixed in relation to each other and are mounted to the base to pivot in relation to the base. The lengths of the upright support assemblies are also adjustable so that the hand crank assemblies can be raised and lowered together. Because the angle and length of the upright support assemblies can be adjusted, the position of the hand crank assemblies can be adjusted in relation to the foot pedal assemblies.